


Golden Hour

by NiallLovesLouis



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Nouis, Oneshot, Sleepwalking, Ziam if you squint, nouisfest2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-09
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-10 06:54:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15944078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiallLovesLouis/pseuds/NiallLovesLouis
Summary: Right now, he felt warm. But not the kind of warm that comes with being on the tour bus at 2 a.m. on a night before a concert, and four other bodies producing heat. No... he felt warm.He turned around, hoping that if he changed his position and faced the curtain instead of the wall he would feel some sort of cool breeze.And he almost screamed when he saw the clear figure of a body next to his, the apparent source of the heat. He didn't in the end, because the bus shook lightly and as soon as the curtains moved and a small peak of light made its way through them, he recognized the person."Louis?"





	Golden Hour

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my work for Nouis Fest 2018! I just love nouis from the bottom of my heart, so I hope you all like it! Feel free to leave kudos and comments ;)

 

 

When Niall was with Louis he felt warm. Like his insides got warm. Warm and mushy and gave him the need to cuddle the brunette. It didn't matter wether Louis announced his presence in a room or not, he didn't have to. Niall _felt_ when he was close by. Because when Louis rubbed his back affectionately, or when he ruffled his hair with a fond smile, he felt warm.

Like right now. Right now, he felt warm. But not the kind of warm that comes with being on the tour bus at 2 a.m. on a night before a concert, and four other bodies producing heat. No... he felt _warm_.

He turned around, hoping that if he changed his position and faced the curtains instead of the wall he would feel some sort of cool breeze.

And he almost screamed when he saw the clear figure of a body next to his, the apparent source of the heat. He didn't in the end, because the bus shook lightly and as soon as the curtains moved and a small peak of light made its way through them, he recognized the person.

"Louis?"

He looked at his friend, propping himself up on one elbow, part of him shocked and suddenly not tired at all, and another part already feeling warm.

There were no movements besides Louis' even breathing and the still dancing curtains, so Niall whispered not so quietly this time, though still not loud enough to wake up any of the other boys.

"Lou?"

More silence. The blonde sighed defeatedly and laid back down, staring up at the ceiling. Why in the world would Louis go to his bed in the middle of the night?

He would say Louis could be having trouble sleeping, but if he was he would have probably woken Niall up to talk. And he would have considered this a prank, but even Louis' natural acting skills couldn't fake that angelic sleeping face.

The blonde groaned as silently as possible, because this was a warm and cuddly situation, but he wasn't sure what was the bro protocol, and all he knew was what he wanted to do - cuddle the hell out of Louis.

He would have never done that though. He was easy going and all, but he didn't know the brunette's intentions and he wasn't about to make him uncomfortable.

He considered moving bunks, but that seemed rude. And he definitely wouldn't wake up Louis and force him to tell Niall his intentions. So he decided on staying calm and soundless, and believe he would fall asleep at some point when he couldn't handle the tiredness of the tour.

He had actually turned his back to the brunette and was facing the wall again, when he felt Louis' left arm drop over his waist and his body shuffling closer to Niall's.

Maybe conscious-Louis hadn't come for cuddles, but sleepy-Louis was dying for some affection. Which was why Niall barely felt guilty as he turned around and wrapped his arms around the small brunette.

And if the blonde kept quiet it was because he was tired and in the fear of disturbing the sleep of one of his bandmates, and definitely not because he felt shivers from Louis' touch.

 

\-------

 

The following day he woke up earlier than usual. Probably because he was warm again.

Somehow Louis had moved even closer and had tucked his head under Niall's chin, which both melted the blonde's heart and confused him to no end, because what had he missed between them that could be the cause of cuddly-angelic Louis coming to his bed in the middle of the night?

He noticed the light peeking from behind the curtains, and remembered that they weren't alone in that bus, feeling the sheets around him to try and find his phone.

_6.12 am_

He sighed in relief, because Liam would only wake up at 6.30, Harry later than that, and Zayn probably wouldn't wake up at all.

Niall rubbed his eyes, forcing himself to completely wake up, as hard as it was because he was exhausted. He hadn't even remembered to check the time last night, so he had no idea when had Louis came.

Speaking of which, he ended up deciding (after fifteen minutes) to just let Louis wake up on his own, he probably needed some rest too. He didn't want to be there once Louis woke though, and risk getting in an uncomfortably awkward situation, so he quietly left his bunk, and upon noticing everyone was still asleep (even Liam), he went to the bunk Louis was supposed to be in and messed the sheets a bit more, just to make sure it looked like someone had slept in there the whole night.

Louis only appeared after a couple of hours, when Liam and Harry had already woken up too and they were all sitting in the common area of the bus, talking and watching tv. His hair was messy as usual, eyes half closed half open, mouth barely suppressing a yawn.

"'Morning sunshine."

Louis rolled his eyes at Harry, not being able to hide a smile, and went straight to the cereals that Niall had already opened, the blonde not so subtly watching his every move, waiting for some form of eye contact.

"'Morning."

"Late night?"

The brunette ignored Harry's teasing smile, never one for conversation when he was tired, and flopped on the couch next to Niall, contently eating his cereal.

The blonde looked away and took out his phone, probably in a non natural way, but he had started to panick the moment Louis came in.

"No. Haven't slept that well in a while. Can you get me that banana please? " Niall's eyes immediately chased Louis' at the mention of sleep, forgetting he was supposed to be _distracted_ on the phone, but the brunette kept looking at the basket of fruit on the counter. Liam had demanded that they had something healthy and they had made fun of him for it but it ended up being useful. "Get that smirk off your face Harold. Stop being a perv and pass me the damn fruit."

That caused Liam to promptly get up to take a shower, saying he didn't need that sort of thoughts in the morning. Niall smiled. Only Liam could have those abs and still prefer to spare his ears from Harry and Louis' early morning teasing.

He relaxed on the couch, not sure if he was glad or not that Liam had left. He closed his eyes and immediately felt tiredness overcome him, because in all honestly, as comfortable as he had been last night, he hadn't slept that well.

"Sorry, by the way, for taking your bed last night."

Louis suddenly looked at Niall, and the blonde opened his eyes abruptly to watch him. He didn't seem ashamed or embarrassed. He looked pretty casual about it, wich both calmed the blonde and intrigued him.

"Tommo trying to get laid."

"Fuck off Harry."

Harry left them alone with a laugh, swiftly avoiding Louis' flying banana peel. He was probably going to choose his outfit for the day, which always took too long to not cause arguments when the four of them were waiting for the brunette to finish getting ready.

Louis rolled his eyes fondly as he finished eating his banana and reached for the napkins on the table.

Niall let his head fall back into the sofa again, starting to play with the strings of his sweat pants once he realized he was the one supposed to say something.

"It's cool. Was a bit surprised though..." he laughed nervously, and decided to keep talking as soon as he saw the confused look Louis gave him. "That you went to my bunk."

Louis eyed him strangely, scratching the back of his head.

"I mean, I don't even remember going to bed, I suppose yours was the first one I found."

That somehow made Niall more disappointed than confused. Just at the fact that maybe he wasn't that special to Louis and the brunette would have picked any other bunk.

"Oh... Erm... Were- were you having trouble sleeping?"

This time Louis looked at him fully, his body actually turning to the side, eyebrow raised.

"Nialler, I went to your bunk _before_  I went to sleep. I must have mistaken our beds."

He looked at the brunette, pretty sure his mouth was hanging open, because he had never before been this confused. Was Louis pretending to not remember anything at all, or did he genuinely believe he had gone to Niall's bunk _before_  falling asleep? Cause Niall had gone to bed after him, he _saw_  Louis getting in his own bunk.

"I... Uh..."

"Thank you though. For not kicking me out or anything..." Louis paused his speech as he took the playstation controllers and turned the game on. Either he wanted to make the situation less uncomfortable or he was actually okay with all that. "If it had been Zayn's he would have probably cut my arm off for touching his pillow."

They both laughed. Louis happy and chilled, probably relieved his joke had filled the awkward silence. Niall making the biggest effort of his life to make a convincing "I'm okay" face.

"Probably."

Had he imagined it? No, he couldn't, they had woken up in the same freaking bunk! But if Louis really didn't remember it, did Niall take advantage of the situation in a way?

He forced himself to smile, taking his controller in hand and laying back besides Louis. Either this was a really mean prank, or Louis suffered from sleepwalking.

At least they were close enough for Niall to feel warm.

 

\-------

 

He didn't fall asleep till late the following night. It's not like he was trying to stay awake in case Louis showed up. It was that he couldn't be asleep if that happened. Especially after that weird conversation.

But he didn't come. In the three nights Niall spent awake, ready to see his curtains being pushed back and Louis showing up all sleepy and cuddly and in need of a good hug, _nothing_ happened.

It was actually four days later, when he was about to fall asleep early for the first time, that he heard the sound of curtains being pushed back. He felt his heart skipping a beat.

The blonde obviously couldn't see anything, but he knew it wasn't coming from Harry's bunk because the brunette's was on top of his, so he would have noticed. A smile lit up his face before he could stop it.

He heard steps, and he was already pushing himself back against the wall to give Louis' some space when the footsteps stopped. It didn't seem like they were in front of his bunk though.

_Maybe he goes to the others boys' bunks too..._

He very subtly pushed his curtain, only to almost loudly gasp as he saw not Louis, but freaking Zayn, opening Liam's curtains and getting in his bunk.

He closed them fully again, his heart beating fast and eyes wide open as he looked at the ceiling, trying his best to not make noise. He didn't even know if he was shocked to see two of his bandmates also sleeping together, or just sad that Louis hadn't come once again.

He didn't really sleep that night, either because of the disappointment he felt, or the weird noises coming off of Liam's bunk.

 

\-----

 

Only the day after Liam and Zayn's... whatever it was, did Louis come to his bunk.

And he was yet again sleepy, eyes half closed, this time holding his pillow to his chest, but still ignoring Niall's questions.

He ended up cuddling deep into the blonde, his head already on Niall's pillow (why had he even brought his remained a mistery), and he was so small, and making Niall feel so loved and needed, the blonde didn't have the heart to wake him up, nor mention it to him in the following morning.

So it went on for a week. A week of Louis going to his bed in the most random hour and they ending up cuddling. And Niall couldn't even say he wasn't making use of the situation, because if he was feeling down or tired, he forgot all about moralities and was the one to wrap himself around Louis and seek the warm that protected him everyday.

Obviously, Niall had always known his feelings towards Louis tip toed around romance a bit, but now that he _knew_ what sleeping so close to each other felt like, he was absolutely sure he didn't consider the brunette "just a mate".

In fact, he was pretty sure he had completely fallen in love with Louis after the second night. And to make things even more perfect, they hadn't changed at all during the day. He actually thought they had become even more touchy.

All in all, Niall had never enjoyed sleeping so much. But of course, living with four other boys on the road, something had to happen.

He had always managed to set an alarm to wake up earlier than the rest of them. Because if they never spoke about those nights between the two of them, he wasn't about to speak with other people.

But it was their day off, and Niall was so freaking tired he couldn't even remember to charge his phone the night before, so when he woke up randomly with light already streaming in, and had no way of knowing the time, he simply decided to play it safe and drag himself out of his bunk while the bus was silent.

"I didn't know you guys shared a bunk."

He almost screamed when he saw Liam, right in front of him, hair still messy from sleep, but a cup of tea half empty in his hand proving he had been up for a while. For long enough to know this wasn't his imagination.

He swore he could die right then and there.

"Li-Liam... I..."

He felt his heart beating so fast he could faint. He couldn't even think for long enough to articulate a sentence, as Liam kept looking at him, a smirk on his face.

"Chill mate, I'm not judging."

He patted Niall on the shoulder as he walked to the couches, and the blonde automatically followed him.

"No... I-It's not..." Niall gulped as Liam laughed quietly, the brunette sitting on the couch, obviously loving this. He was so screwed. He had actually no idea what to say, because he himself didn't _know_ what was going on between him and Louis. "He... He sleepwalks."

That actually caused Liam to laugh harder, covering his mouth when he realized it might have been too loud. Niall would have punched him if he didn't love him.

"Niall, seriously-"

"You're one to talk. I don't mention your nights with Zayn, don't mention mine."

Maybe he shouldn't have said that, because it implied that him and Louis were perfectly conscious on what they were doing, and actually _talking_ about what they were doing. And it also got Liam serious as he frowned and sat a but straighter on the couch. Well, that part was his own fault for pressuring Niall.

"Nialler, that's... that wasn't... oh god..." he ran a hand over his hair, and looked at the blonde in all seriousness, and now Niall was feeling slightly guilty, so he sat beside Liam, ready to apologize. "Zayn, he... He just sleepwalks."

Now Liam was laughing again, and damn he, all sunshiny in the morning. Niall felt like pouring the tea on his shirt, just to see that stupidly cute smile disappear off of the brunette's face. Why couldn't Liam take this serious? Niall was ready to throw himself out of the window to avoid discussing this, and his supposedly best friend was here making jokes.

"I was being serious, you dickhead."

Liam chuckled some more and emptied his cup of tea before putting it down on the table. He ruffled Niall's hair and got up, probably going to take a shower, like the routine freak he was, leaving the blonde annoyed because he was at least expecting some advice.

"Nialler, people who sleepwalk and wake up in someone else's bed, they at least act surprised about it." He walked out of the room without looking behind, probably thinking he had a lot of style and barely keeping himself from going to Zayn and telling him how cool he had been.

Niall would have smiled at that, but stayed behind, looking at the turned off telly as he mulled over Liam's words. He really had to talk to Louis.

 

\------

 

He ended up bugging Liam for the rest of the morning, asking for some sort of advice and recurring to tears at some point just to get a hug. It worked though, now he was a bit more motivated to talk to Louis. Except he wasn't.

It's not like he didn't know what he felt, he already had come to terms with the fact that he _wanted_ Louis to sleep in his bed everyday of his life. And that he didn't even know anymore how to sleep without Louis there. But his worries were still others.

Like Louis being actually aware that he was sleepwalking and just ashamed of it. (Which seemed highly unlikely.) Or that Louis would just apologize and as quickly and subtly as he started keeping Niall company during the night, he would stop (an unfortunately much more realistic ending).

So he tried not to think about any of those as he later that day invited Louis to go for a walk on the private zone around the stadium they were playing that night. He probably wouldn't have had the guts to do it hadn't Liam given him a thumbs up a couple of minutes prior.

"Do stadiums always have reserved spaces like this? Cause no one ever lets us out..."

Either Louis was actually oblivious as to why Niall had asked him to come, or he was damn good at pretending to be.

They were both going up the hill that surrounded the stadium, and Niall looked behind for a moment, at all the fans behind held back by security on the other side.

"No clue... I don't think we ever really asked."

Louis laughed lightly, throwing an arm around Niall's shoulder. Why was he in such a good mood? Now it was even harder to have a serious conversation.

"Did Liam tell you how many people are coming today? Our second show here? I swear this stadium has gotten bigger since yesterday."

Louis chuckled as he turned around to look at where Niall had looked a few seconds before, that pleased, grateful smile he always had giving the blonde the sudden urge to kiss him.

He kept quiet until they reached the peak, mostly to stop himself from doing something he would later regret. That was when Louis must have finally noticed he wanted to say something, because he gripped Niall's shoulder gently, as if prompting him to speak.

"What's happening?" He senses that Louis was about to laugh at the vagueness of the question, so he was quick to elaborate. "Between us... What's happening between us?"

Louis finally looked at him, more serious than normal, and sighed deeply before sitting down on the grass.

It took him a few minutes before he answered. Maybe this was as hard for him as it was for Niall.

"I'm surprised it took you that long to realize I wasn't asleep."

He couldn't help the chuckle that left his mouth as he sat next to Louis, though it was actually his own perplex at how dumb he was.

"And it took me someone to tell me that." Louis turned his face, an eyebrow raised. "Liam."

The brunette laughed, and Niall joined in. Though after a few seconds it became silent again.

At least now he knew Louis had come to him because he wanted to.

"In my defense, the first night I _was_ sleepwalking." Niall looked at him, unable to keep a smile off his face because it was _Louis_  and he was just perfect in Niall's eyes. But he still arched his eyebrows as if to ask about the other seven nights. "And after that... I mean, don't tell me you didn't enjoy it."

"I won't."

They looked at each other for a moment, and Louis' eyes flickered to Niall's lips, which didn't go unnoticed by the blonde.

"It was easier to show it than to say it."

Niall looked at those blue eyes, and he was so used to seeing them closed, right next to his, he had forgotten how beautiful they actually were.

"Say what?"

"That I like being close to you, you little shit."

A loud laugh escaped Niall's lips, because only Louis could actually confess his feelings for someone using those words.

He looked at him, knowing he didn't have to say the feeling was mutual because Louis already knew. Of course he knew, the brunette had pretended to be asleep, but Niall had been clear from the start that he was very much awake and aware of everything happing.

He decided to take a chance then, and leaned in slowly, giving Louis more than enough time to back off if that was what he wanted.

Thankfully he didn't, and in a matter of seconds their lips were touching, and if Niall felt warm by being close to Louis, this feeling was outer space. It was the adrenaline of a first kiss all over again, because he had never fallen so hard for anyone, mixed with the joy of finally having the brunette this close, and completely awake.

It was surprisingly emotional for such a small kiss, almost a peck. But still the best he had ever gotten.

They finally pulled back, slowly, looking into each others eyes, both faces radiating smiles.

"I..."

"Yeah?"

Louis blushed and shook his head, taking Niall's face in both his hands.

"It's stupid. I know it's stupid, and cheesy. But..." he smiled adoringly at the blonde, kissing his nose softly, causing him to giggle. "Niall Horan, you make me feel warm inside. Fucking warm, like warm and mushy and makes me want to cuddle the cuteness out of you. So please, give me permission to cuddle you whenever I want, without having to pretend to be sleepwalking."

Niall laughed, and he could cry from how inlove he was in that moment. This was Louis, admitting to feel exactly what he felt every single time he was with the brunette, and if that didn't mean they were soulmates, than Niall wouldn't believe in them.

He threw his arms around Louis and they both fell back on the grass as he kissed him again, just as softly.

"Yes, I'll be your boyfriend, Louis."

Louis laughed and hugged the blonde's waist. If this was how things were going to be from now on, then Niall felt both the luckiest boy on the planet, and sorry for their bandmates for the PDA's they'd have to assist.

"That's not what I asked." Niall hit Louis' chest and the older boy smiled, tightening his grip."But I don't mind it."

They both laughed, just because even faking a pout would be hard for Niall right now.

This was not what he was expecting at all. But he had just found himself a boy he loved, and he was cuddled with him on the grass, about to preform with his best mates for around thirty thousand people, to sing a dozen of love songs, and get to say the words directly to Louis. He had never felt as full of love as he did right now. He felt warm.

 

 

\----


End file.
